Friday, January 06, 2006

The First Of 52!

Greetings from all of us at Hank Lee's Magic Factory. I hope you had a wonderful New Year, and are all set to face 2006 head on! With last week's big sale (I hope you didn't miss it!), we have started the year with a bang!There are all kinds of excitements to tell you about. The most exciting is that we have added even more talent to our Conclave lineup for this April. Fl!p will be with us to perform his famous stage act, as well as perform close-up and lecture. Eric Buss will be with us as well. He was last at the Conclave back in 1996, and was a huge hit. We are very excited that these two magical stars can find time in their busy schedules to join us at the Conclave. Speaking of joining us, now is the perfect time for you to register. The dates are April 21-23, and registration is $145.00 for the magi and $130.00 for the spouse. You can register online by clicking on the Conclave Button at www.magicfact.com.

Now, let's take a look at all the great magic in this week's Hotlist.

David Starr Production Box - Back in stock after a long absence, and, I can tell you, we've never seen anything like them before!If you are looking for a fabulous finale to your show, this is it! You can produce a ton of silks or streamers from "nowhere!" It looks awesome!The prop is beautiful. Atop an open stand is a six-pointed red and black polygon. The opening in the center of the polygon is covered in tissue paper. The front of the polygon hinges up; the bottom of the polygon hinges down. You can see right through the box; there is nothing to be seen! Really, nothing!Hinge both the bottom and the top of the polygon back into position, break the tissue paper and produce a ton of stuff! Silks, streamers, you name it!The method is diabolical. The giant load is right there in front of them, but they will never see it! Mechanically brilliant.Beautifully finished in red and black lacquers. The prop stands about 30 inches tall so it can be seen in the largest hall, yet you can perform it in a living room with no problem at all.Only 6 of these have been custom made for us. When they are gone, that's it. So act quickly and don' t miss out. The David Starr Production Box is a Hank Lee's Magic Factory Exclusive. So, you will find it here, and nowhere else $175.00.(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=7588&cat=&page=1)

Pocket Portfolio - The principles from the original Buma Board have been applied to this wallet along with some other features!A normal wallet is now a terrific weapon for instant mind reading and psychic effects. This wallet delivers instant information (names, numbers, simple questions) to the performer under the eyes of the spectator. It can be used for stage work, but really is a "carry on yourself" effect. The wallet has a total of 10 pockets. Bonus Effect: Wallet is "gaffed" for the classic signed card in the wallet. Quick and easy reset. Fine leather work. Passport-style wallet fits in jacket pocket. $125.00(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8112&cat=&page=1)

Midas, an exciting new tool for the working mentalist. Midas is truly a landmark utility device that scores very high marks for usability and versatility. Combining cutting edge technology and exceptional conceal ability, Midas gives you the power to detect metal covertly and accurately. The possibilities that such a device opens up are endless!Midas is the world’s smallest pulse induction metal detector, designed by James Cheung and Reg Martin specifically for mentalists. The search head is worn on the wrist and is connected to a silent vibrating body unit with a remote control. The configuration has been designed to minimize lead snag and maximize concealment. If comfort, conceal ability and performance are important to you, Midas is really the only realistic choice on the market.It utilizes the very latest auto-calibrating surface mounted circuitry allowing impressive miniaturization and performance that belies its size. The search field geometry has been optimized to provide proximity detection in all directions, eliminating the need for any ‘sweeping’ action thus allowing for natural looking usage and highly accurate detection. A very brief touch is all you need. Even the set-up is simple and minimal. Just turn it on and you’re good to go.Tests have shown that Midas will detect all metals, ferrous or non-ferrous including gold, silver, steel, iron, aluminum, nickel, brass, copper, tin, magnesium, copper, zinc, tin and rhodium. It also works with all known coinage from 10mm diameter upwards and will detect a pin at 1.5 inches, a coin envelope sized piece of foil or foil-coated paper at 4-6 inches and even a 1mm sliver of aluminum foil at 1 inch! We have even detected a cigarette packet at 6 inches and a wrapped stick of chewing gum at 3 inches. The operational range is up to 6 inches but the optimal operational range is between 0-3inches and will detect even through someone’s hand! The more creative amongst you will see the impressive applications of such a device. Psychometry routines, Russian Roulette or Find the Lady routines become instantly cleaner and more impossible. The possibilities that Midas opens up are impressive.Each Midas is hand-built by Reg Martin and comes with a 1-year warranty.The dimensions of the search head are 6cm x 3cm x 1cm and the vibration unit is 8cm x 4cm x 2cm. The remote is 7cm x 3cm x 2cm and is powered by a 9V battery. $600.00(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8113&cat=&page=1)

From our friends at Tora Magic comes the Grand Production!Sitting on your table is a set of nesting tubes, one red and one silver. The red tube has cut-out, through which the silver tube is visible. Lift the silver tube and show it empty. Through the open front the audience can see inside the red tube, and it is empty as well. Replace the silver tube and, for good measure, lift up the red tube and shows it empty as well. Then the enormous production starts! Produce a large feather flower bouquet and then another, then a huge birdcage that is almost the size of the entire tube, another flower bouquet, another birdcage, yet another flower bouquet and finally another birdcage.The volume of items produced from this set of tube is just unbelievable. The audience will go nuts! This is the perfect climax to any act. Guaranteed to bring them to their feet!The tube, base and lid are made from metal. This is a really professional set and could easily be the most amazing part of your show.Features:Includes four nine-bloom feather flower bouquets, 3 appearing birdcages and the production tubes. Plus a base to raise the tubes above the table and a lid to keep everything covered before your performance.Together with base and lid the outside dimensions are as follows: 23.5" tall; 9” diameter. $800.00(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8114&cat=&page=1)

Phoney Magnet - Is there anything worse than someone’s cell phone interrupting show? Nothing is worse. Except maybe having the audience throw pizza at you. But, that’s another story for another time. For now, let’s concentrate on the cell phone ringing. The solution is at hand.Simply pull out Eric Buss' Phoney Magnet at any time during your act, aim and BAM! A cell phone instantly appears stuck on the end!Easy to do. A visual treat! Comes with the large Phoney Magnet and a realistic-looking cell phone. A great item to keep in your case just waiting for the right moment. $49.95(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8115&cat=&page=1)

World's Best Card Riser - Ted Biet’s World’s Best Card Riser is just that.Have three cards chosen and returned to the deck. Hold the pack at your fingertips and ask for the name of the first card. Slowly, the card rises out of the center of the pack.Shuffle the deck and fan the cards. Ask for the name of the second card. It rises slowly from the center of the fan (this looks really unbelievable!).Finally, place the pack into the card case and give it to a spectator to hold. The third card is named and the spectator is told to "tickle" the deck just a bit. He does so and, amazingly, the third card rises from the cased deck!This is the original Ted Biet's Card Riser, the best ever created. No threads, no weight, no magnets. The gimmick can be introduced into and stolen from a borrowed deck with utter ease. This device is never even suspected, much less seen. The accompanying DVD will teach you how to use this wonderful gimmick, and if you really take the time to learn this (and it does not require a great degree of skill), you will fool everyone!Comes complete with card riser gimmick and instructional DVD. $50.00(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8116&cat=&page=1)

Shiels Effect Book & An Evening With Doc Shiels DVD -The BookThis 72 page book was originally published in a limited edition. It created a sensation and went out of print very quickly. You could search on eBay and be lucky to find one copy coming up per year and find it sold in the hundreds of dollars.The book itself has achieved legendry status. So what great secrets does it contain?Well it does cover a section on spoon bending in Chapter One. But this is not a book of mentalism secrets. Every magician and mentalist's library is full of books and DVDs crammed with the secrets of some of the greatest minds of our craft.This book shows you how to leverage that information. How you can become the stuff of romantic legend … the next psychic superstar! A top soccer player like David Beckham is on a high salary. But he is able to leverage his position to bring in lucrative multi-million sponsorship deals. So why wouldn't you leverage your skills and talents – the skills you may already have - to bring you more publicity, more celebrity status and more income.Even if you don't want to achieve all the trappings of international stardom, surely as a performer shouldn't you be seeking to become the local celebrity, so that when they are looking for a service you provide, you are the one who pops immediately into their mind?Right here in this book the plan, the mindset are laid bare. The secret ingredients that go into making a psychic superstar. No other book has delved so deeply into the subject of psychic superstardom and how to achieve it. No other book has laid out a step-by-step plan.The DVDDoc retired from active performing twenty years ago to devote himself to his avocation – art. Irish magician Pat Sullivan traced Doc to a remote part of Co. Kerry in South West Ireland and coaxed him to come and talk to the Cork and Kerry magicians. Fortunately this very special evening was recorded and is preserved now for your enjoyment.Sit down with a pot of strong coffee or a generous portion of your favorite beverage, pop in this DVD, relax and enjoy an evening's company with Doc Shiels.Doc will regale you with stories from his early days as the boy magician performing at the local mission for deprived children, when he was barely older than they were.Hear what happened when he switched a magician's spring snake for a real one.How he developed his interest in Bizarre Magick (Doc was one of the founders of this genre). What were the five words that caused long queues to see one Blackpool sideshow illusion? If you do the spider woman sideshow illusion, this could make you a lot of money, and if you don't you just might go and get one!Doc will tell you a lot more about raising the Loch Ness Monster and makes a suggestion that could achieve similar levels of publicity for you.Discover how he came to be known as 'Doc'.Learn how the disembodied head of Princess Raman Ra handled a heckler – not something you would use yourself but very funny!If you're looking for tricks – they're not here. This is an entertaining seventy minutes spent with one of magic's most intriguing characters, a man who lived the life he chose, answered to no one, developed a new genre in magic, contributed widely with numerous books and magazine articles and achieved international publicity.It will also fill you in on the background to some of the material in The Shiels Effect. $45.00 (http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8117&cat=&page=1)

Psychic Crayons - Oh, momma, you are going to love Chris Mitchell's Psychic Crayons. The effect is really clever, but the method is absolutely brilliant!A spectator selects a crayon from a box of 24. No force, free choice. Despite the fact that the crayon was chosen while your back was turned, and you never see the box or the crayon at any time, you are able to name the selected crayon with 100% accuracy!Excellent for adults. Great in family shows. It is the perfect way to have the third item in a triple prediction effect selected, if you know what I mean!Comes with the very special box of crayons and a bonus routine from George Saterial! $27.50(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8118&cat=&page=1)

Buma Board - This completely innocent looking standard transparent clipboard instantly delivers names, numbers, simple drawings, etc. It is a mentalist's dream! A prop Buma would have been proud to have his name associated with!The spectator writes on the paper with the attached marker, removes the paper from the clipboard and keeps it. You never come near the paper. Yet, you can duplicate the message or drawing immediately. No powders, liquids, nail writers. Simple. Clean. Powerful. (9" x12-1/2") $77.50(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8111&cat=&page=1)

And that's all the cool new stuff for this first week of the new year! If this is indicative of what we will be bringing you for the rest of the year, it's going to be good. Really good!

I hope you will find some time to spend with us either live and in person at your retail store to the stars at112 South Street in Boston or online at our website to the stars, www.magicfact.com. Either way, you love the company!Hank Lee